Fallen to the Planet
by halfbreedfox
Summary: Jenova was a celestial being bent on dominating the universe. But could she do it by herself? Could others like her exist beyond the stars? It appears that the answer is yes, as Reeve is discovering. Set after DoC
1. Fall from Grace

**Fallen to the Planet**

Chapter 1: Fall from Grace

Stars always shine the brightest in the wilderness.

This night was a special night for the residence in Kalm. There was going to be a comet fly by the Planet. The radios buzzed and the streets murmured about the exciting event. Now the inhabitants had their worries. With multiple misfortunes with objects falling from the sky, the inhabitants had their worries, but they put on a bright face. This is a ball of dust and ice passing by. Comets passing by do not crash into other planets. A little bit of rock never hurt nobody.

So despite past events, many families had traveled to the edge of the city, bringing blankets and flashlights and radios for the occasion. It may be the only time they see something from outer space peacefully pass by their planet. The radios blared about the comet, urging people to look out their windows and turn off their lights for a little while and wait.

And they waited.

And they waited (for comets like to take their time traveling).

And then it came.

A beautiful mass of shining blue light seemed to appear from nowhere. A fiery white head slowly trekking through the sky, its glimmering tail trying to keep up. The residents of Kalm awed over the sight, whispered to their children and stared with wide eyes at such a beautiful sight. Who knew that the universe could produce something so lovely?

But before the residents knew it, she disappeared. The graceful thing had raced its way out of their sight and into the unknown. A few stayed behind in the cool night, wrapped in their blankets and talking to one another. Others gathered their little children up and into the town, convincing them it was past their bedtime and needed to sleep. The radios were turned off one by one and soon the chirps of crickets were the background music to the people.

For the few remaining at the outer rim of Kalm, they were taking in the wonderful sight of a sky full of peaceful and simple stars, but it seemed that one star was unlucky.

It started out as a tiny, bright dot in the distance. Like a new star was born. But it quickly grew to twice its size, and vapor trails could be seen behind it. It never became very big, and it even landed with a small boom in the far off distance of the city. The impact didn't even generate a fire or light. It could have gone completely unnoticed if the few who stayed behind didn't see its fall.

"It's part of the comet's tail that couldn't keep up."

"Or a star that missed its lover."

No one fussed over it.


	2. Dangerous Discovery

**Fallen to the Planet**

Chapter 2: Dangerous Discovery

"A meteor crashed, you say?" Reeve rested his cheek against his fist and stroked at his chin in deep thought. The WRO officer waited for a response from his Chief Commander. pushed a few papers around on his desk, the early morning sun shining brightly through his office windows.

"Go check it out. Make sure there are no aliens trying to invade." He gave a soft chuckle to himself, and the WRO officer did as well.

"At the very least, we can give the rock to some astronomy kids at a university somewhere." The wise man then dismissed the young officer, informing him to take a squad out twenty miles south east from the city of Kalm, where the meteor was supposed to have taken up a residence. The officer stood straight, saluted his superior, and walked out of the office.

"Would you like to accompany them, Vincent?" Reeve smirked as he swiveled in his large and comfortable chair towards the tall and brooding man in the corner of his office. The man in the red cape was preoccupied with gazing out the window to some random, faraway spot. His only response was a mild rumble in his throat that he acknowledged his friend's words.

Reeve's smile faltered a bit, but quickly found something else to grin about. "I only ask because you seem so bored with life and everything. I mean, all you seem to do is wander around. One would think you had an agenda or a list of to-dos to do. I'd imagine right now someone could be needing your help." Vincent began to glare at the talkative man from the corner of his vibrant, red eyes. "Tifa is quite the damsel in distress. Isn't that Shelke girl of yours boarding with her? You should really help the woman out Vince--"

"If you wanted me to go and supervise the meteor site, all you had to do was say so." Vincent was already halfway out the door by time he finished his sentence, and it gave a light click as it shut behind him.

Reeve gave a good laugh after the other man's annoyed departure. "Yuffie was right; that is fun. Almost as good as teasing Red, I bet."

-+-+-+-

A small commission of WRO soldiers, no more than six, jumped out of their transport jeep a few yards away from the meteor site. The crash site was located in the middle of a vast field, dotted with few, young trees. The day was bright as the sun was reaching the highest point in the sky, a cool light breeze accented the air and the clouds were few and far between. The soldiers unhastily made their way to the shallow sunken hole in the Planet.

"It's too pretty outside to be working." Commented one of the female soldiers, hoisting her riffle over her shoulders and resting her arms on it like she was a milk maid. She looked up at the calming blue sky and sighed. Her male peers just laughed at her.

"Like this is hard work, right Mr. Valentine?" One of the younger males asked their informal supervisor. Even though the older man's presence was something to be uneasy about (for he didn't give off a completely friendly air), all the soldiers tried to treat him as one of their own. He proved to be a friend in the battle with the Tsviets, fighting right beside them.

Vincent only gave what looked like a nod, more of a sign he was listening, rather than agreeing. He may be a friend and all, but the sharp-shooter was a hard person to get talking. "This is it." Was his only comment as he stopped right at the edge of the tiny crater that the meteor had made. The rest of the WRO gathered around the edges to look.

It was a really pathetic crater. It maybe reached twelve feet in diameter, and was only deep enough to bury a man to his chest. Very unimpressive. And right in the middle of this over grown hole, was the remnants of what appeared to me a mix of rock and metallic parts. Why would rocks have armor?

"That's a strange piece of sky." One of the men tilted his head at the lump of coal. "I'll check it out." He offered, and slid his way down the slope of blasted earth to the bottom. The rest of his comrades watching him.

The young man kept his rifle in his right hand, and circled around the thing, examining it all around. It was maybe four feet long and three feet wide, spattered with random, shiny spots. It didn't radiate heat, nor oozed space fluid everywhere, but sat in the earth. Comfortable and fat. He gave a good kick at it, it crumbled away a bit, but hardly moved. It was heavy.

"We should come back with a crane or something. It's gonna weigh a ton."

"Oh don't be such a wuss." Another man slid his way down the slope to stand next to the initial examiner. "I bet we could lift it together." The men slung their rifles over their shoulders and onto their backs. "Toss us some rope, will ya." And the girl of the group tossed one rope end towards them, keeping the excess rope secure in her hands.

Just as one of the men was rolling the big rock over to secure it with rope, it all began to crumble away quickly. It basically faded to dust at his touch, and what was left was the body of a young girl partially concealed in rubble. She was covered with dirt and dust from head to toe, and her strange outfit was torn in a few areas.

"What the hell..." No one knew how to respond. Vincent too was confused and even tilted his head in befuddlement. They all just stared at each other and glanced at the girl.

"You don't think she was hit, do you?"

"She couldn't have. She wouldn't be in such good condition."

"She would be half blown to bits."

"Do you think she fell in and got trapped under it?"

"When would this have happened? There are no houses nearby."

"Bring her up." Was Vincent's command. At the very least, the girl should be taken back to the city and a poster be put up for a lost child if she doesn't have one already. Dead or not, there should be a guardian for her that should know of her condition.

"You're the boss." Affirmed one of the men in the crater, and he bent to pick the child up. She was small, no taller than 5'4" and seemed deathly thin and light in his arms. Her short hair was a surprising shade of white and the ends seemed to be burned. When the man stood up, the body lurched and arched its back as it took a very deep inhale of oxygen. The man and his partner were shocked by the sudden show of life, and jerked away as if to distance themselves from it, but the man holding her kept his hold of her in his arms. The remaining team on higher ground stepped back at this sudden movement, completely surprised as well.

Quickly, the thing's hands latched onto the vest of her carrier's, her knuckles turning white with how hard she was clutching. She then raised a hand and shot to grab the man's bare neck, squeezing it so tight the man fell to his knees. Her eyes opened wide and her mouth barred teeth, as the man holding her began to go pale. In turn, she raised her body and looked directly into his eyes. They were becoming dull. His life was becoming her life.

But she was thrown back. The other man retched at her hands and tossed her against the slope of the crater. She made a heavy thud as her back hit solid earth and slid down to the dusty floor, crumpling into a mess of limbs. She rolled her face towards the two men, and gave an ungodly screech at them. Her carrier managed to regain his strength and he and his partner looked at her in a strange horror. Her eyes gleamed like a predators.

Just as she was begining to slowly lift herself up with one arm, a gunshot rang through the air and she crumpled again, screaming in agony, blood slowly pooling around her shoulder. But her pain was short lived, as she became quiet and layed just as lifeless on the ground when she was first found. All soldiers looked it the direction of their quiet friend, who calmly replaced his faithful gun to its holister. "Take her to the jeep and keep her at a safe distance. We have to take her back."


	3. What's in a Name

**Fallen to the Planet**

Chapter 3: What's in a Name

"She's kinda feisty, isn't she?"

"Just a little,"

The girl roared and kicked and screamed in her prison. Locked up in an over sized test tube. Upon arrival back to HQ, and informing about their unusual discovery, the good idea was to put the girl in a medical chamber. There, vital stats could be taken and they would have a safe place to lock up the crazy broad if she awoke. But shortly after the first nurse came to inspect the creature, she became wildly violent and lunged at the poor woman. Fortunately, she was locked back into the chamber before any harm could befall anymore WRO workers.

She barred her teeth and banged against the lid of her modern coffin with all the force she had. But all Reeve and Vincent could do was just stare at the little thing and the impressive amount of energy she was displaying. She sneered through her thick window at the two of them.

"I thought you said she suffered a gunshot would." Reeve looked the thing over, noticing no traces of blood trickling out of her, just the obvious red stains where the bullet had hit her.

"I did." Reeve kneeled closer to the girl, and she began to hit the laminated glass even harder, her screams getting louder.

"I guess someone gave her a potion then. She isn't bleeding,"

"What are going to do now?" The red caped shadow asked.

"Talk to her," The Chief looked up at Vincent to give a cheesy smile, and returned his focus on the girl. His friend just shook his head.

"Hey, hey, calm down now. You're safe," He tried tapping on the glass and giving his most comforting smile, but it seemed the mass of fury didn't care. Her hands were turning a raw, red color from how long and hard she was hitting the glass. "I just want to help you. If you stop fussing so much, I can get you out of here." The thing began to calm down. Her breathing still fierce and her mouth contorted into a sneer, but she stopped her calamity.

"There you go," The inventor gave an excited smile. He knew he could reach her. "If you could just answer some qu--"

The girl began to ramble. Senseless syllables and sounds were strung together as she was rapidly "talking." Her anger still come across in her voice, even if her words were unknown. She could speak, but not a language that the two men knew. Not even a familiar word passed by her tongue.

"Wait wait--" Reeve tried again, but she just gave her glass dome a good hit with one of her fists and continued with her babbling, not even slowing down to catch her breath.

The man sighed and stood up. Was this a mental illness? "Do you think she suffered brain trauma?" He theorized with Vincent. His only answer was a slight shrug.

"Anything could have happened to her."

"You don't suppose she is unaware she isn't speaking sense?"

"She could be oblivious."

Reeve gave another sigh. He hung his head at a loss of what to do, pinched the brigde of his nose in thought and rubbed his chin. The girl's angry, unintelligible words their background music for the moment.

Slowly but surely, upon the girl noticing that no one cared anymore what she was saying, she silently trailed off. The room actually became silent since she awoke over an hour ago. No pounding or screaming, just her heavy breaths upon forcing her voice to reach high levels of stress. She mumbled a few incoherent things to herself, but was otherwise peaceful.

"I didn't know she could be so calm." Reeve kept his voice low, fearing that if he talked louder, it would just provoke the creature.

"Than en mayl... beranil si... kishmeht Jenova teahr..."

Vincent and Reeve both glanced at one another, then looked over at the girl. She was still mumbling in that strange language of hers.

"I think I'm becoming paranoid, Vince."

"No." Nothing more needed to be said. They both had the same thought, the same theory. The inventor calmly made his way towards the medical chamber at the foot of the mechanizim, where all the controls were located. The chamber was completely sealed off from the outside world, so it could supply pure oxygen to patients who couldn't take in oxygen from the air. Reeve touched his fingers to the dial that control the oxygen supply to the compartment, slowly turning it so it wouldn't pump in the life-saving air.

It a while to take effect. The girl was resilient, and by time she noticed that it was harder to draw in breath, she was too weak to throw a fit. Rage filled her face and she growled at the man near her feet, but her sight gave way to darkness as she passed out.

"So you're suffocating her."

"No. I'm trying to keep her in control as much as possible." Reeve walked passed his partner and towards the exit of the medical care unit of the building. Vincent followed. Outside, a few doctors had been collected when the female first got out of hand, but were quickly dismissed out of the room when she was secured. "I want tests to be run. Blood, skin biopsies, CT scans, X-rays, everything, and I want all the results sent to me."

"Yes, sir." Was the collective reply along the doctors. They began to enter the room before their commander instructed them again.

"Keep her drugged. Hydrocodine, anesthetics, whatever. She's still dangerous." The doctors all agreed again and finally left inside. Reeve began to head straight to his office, Vincent in step beside him.

"She knows about Jenova." He kept his voice low (as if is wasn't low enough) so as not to attract the workers' attention in the halls of the building.

"What does that mean though."

"They both came from the sky."

"Don't say it. It's too horrible to imagine again." Reeve forced a poor desk girl out of the elevator she was exiting and shut its doors to the floor they were on, immediately rising up the tall building. The two men needed to be alone to contemplate this problem. He took one side of the elevator and vincent took the other. The head of WRO began to rub his temples in anxiety.

"Why are you having tests run on her?"

"To find a weakness. To understand exactly what she is. No one cared to know what Jenova was, just what she could do to soldiers."

"I bet no one gave her a potion on the way here." Reeve groaned at the comment.

"Ugh, I didn't even think about that. You think she healed that quickly from a gun shot wound naturally?" Vincent just nodded his dark head. "That thing is going to be problematic."

"But you noticed her speech."

"Hmm, yes. Despite not knowing a single thing she way trying to say, I think it was obvious she has the brains to be articulate. She's just not a wild killing machine. She's capable of logical thought."

"She can adapt and learn then." The floors passed by so quickly. It was silence's turn to talk now (Reeve hated elevator music so never had it installed). Soon, the elevator slowed down and came to a stop. The man in blue's office floor. He and his companion left the elevator and Reeve sought the comfort of his large and comfortable chair. If only his chair had answers for him. The taller man observed the stress his friend felt, and hoped his silence would be more comforting than his words.

"What are you going to call her." Reeve eyed his friend as if he asked a very stupid question.

"I don't want to name her. She doesn't deserve a name." He propped his arm on the table and rested his forehead against it.

"But if she escapes..."

"All right, all right." He pointed a finger at Vincent, not even bothering to look up. "You name her then. You found her."

'But I don't want to name her...' The man sighed in response and began to think. Nothing personal. Just a label would do.

"Than." Reeve straightened himself and looked his friend in the eye, completely unamused.

"You must think you're funny." Vincent just shrugged in response, but a little smile was hidden behind the collar of his deep, red cloak. "You have a morbid sense of humor."

* * *

_I just want to thank Lionhearte1 and LilTigre for showing an interest in my story, and for LilTigre's technical advice. :) All comments and advice is appreciated._

_-halfbreedfox_


	4. Got Your Finger

**Fallen to the Planet**

Chapter 4: Got your Finger

Days passed by with little incident in the medical research labs. The hematologist had come and taken his blood samples, seven vials worth. The neurologist had arrived and taken several different CT scans before disappearing to his lab. The physiologist had joined in on the fun, taken several CT scans himself, along with six more skin biopsies. Numerous other specialized doctors have come and gone and come again. Their work more routine in keeping, "Than," alive and sedated, along with physical examination and her general health.

For some reason, Vincent was a frequent visitor to the research lab, coming in as often as every two days for an hour or so. No one questioned his presence in the lab, for they knew he was informally included in determining what this girl was. He watched as the never-ending examinations continued day in and day out. He saw skin cut right off her arms with blades and needles jabbed into her veins. He saw masks put over her mouth and nose and her being strapped to tables and beds. He witnessed people forcing her mouth open while half conscious, and others prying her eyes open and shining lights into them, and saw tubes and cameras being shoved down her throat the inspect her recent eating habits.

It was only in the evenings that even more extreme events took place. Vincent once witnessed several physicians cut down the entire length of her bicep to inspect her muscles, after applying a tourniquet to her arm. The lack of blood flow produced minimal blood shed, and the doctors even offered Vincent a closer look for himself, but he refused and was content to watch them play with their doll, until they mentioned a wish to inspect the girl's internal organs as well, but had to wait for the approval. Vincent never appeared to an evening research group after that.

Perhaps the reason why Vincent ever showed up in those labs was because of morbid curiosity. More than once did he find himself pondering the what-ifs of his own experimentation. Were any of these specific experiments done to him by Hojo? Was he ever managed so closely and inspected at such a personal level? Was his own experimentation even worse? Could this ever get more gruesome? Sometimes, Vincent would forget where he was from how deep in thought he was. He would lose himself in that dark past.

He hoped that we wasn't going to begin empathizing with Than.

In Reeve's office, results from numerous tests were being sent by e-mail to him everyday, some even accompanied by phone calls by bewildered scientists. Blood type proved to be inconclusive and unlabeled. Skin samples showed abnormal qualities. Brain scans appeared normal but functions were odd. Personal optical observations revealed higher than normal counts of receiving nerves. One after another, bizarre tests were sent in and baffled doctors called the man to reason out their results.

"The evidence against her is piling up, Vincent." Reeve opened up all e-mails and spread out all paper files that he had recieved for his friend to see. "I'm getting worried." Vincent picked up one of the paper reports and read it more thoroughly. "What do you see down there? Does it look like a circus?"

"No," Was his simple reply. "More like a mad house." Reeve sighed.

"Does she display any odd signs? Bleed from the eyes or something?"

"As quiet as a sleeping lamb, conscious or not." The taller man set the paperwork back down. Reeve rested his head in his hands and gave another sigh. He was doing that a lot lately. Silence filled the grand office space, and despite the bright light flowing into the room, only a sense of gloom was their third friend.

Reeve's office phone rang. He slowly reached for it and answered in a low voice, "Reeve Tuesti here." The man mostly listened to the other man on the line, and he wrote down important notes on the edge of his calendar on the desk. "Okay. Yeah. I'll be there." The man hung up the phone.

"That was one of the medical examiners," Reeve relayed to Vincent. "He wants me to be at Than's lab room around seven this evening. Said he had something important to show me." The man in red made no reply.

"Did you want to come? Should be interesting in the least." All Vincent could think about was the image of Than's arm being cut right down the middle and her muscle being exposed to the air.

"Do you know what the night shift does?"

"Yes. And before you think anything, I denied their vivisection request. Many times." Even Reeve seemed to have a little care for the odd female. Or a deep resentment for extreme medical practices.

-+-+-+-

6:55 P.M. rolled by, and the punctual Reeve was opening the door to the medical lab when he was warmly greeted by the few doctors that waited for him.

"Good Evening, . And good evening to you, . It's good to see you've returned." Vincent only nodded his acknowledgment. Reeve quickly greeted everyone in the room as well.

"I was hoping we could just get right to the matter, Dr. Brackt."

"Oh, of course. Please follow." and the three other physicians lead their boss (and his friend) over to the strange girl's bed. "I'm sure you will find this... interesting in the least." At her bed, the girl hardly seemed threatening. She lied quite still, even for being restrained by the ankles and arms. Her face portrayed exhaust and apathy, something quite out of character.

"Has she haven any food to eat since she arrived?" Reeve seemed oddly unhappy at the thought of her starving under his care.

"Not at all. Look at the IV drip. Though feeding her is challenging while half conscious, or so the nurses say." Dr. Brackt wheeled a little table closer to him, right next to Than's bed. One of the other doctors was busy undoing her wrist straps, and another was positioning a very bright lamp over the girl and Dr. Brackt. The white table cloth was removed and a plethera of surgical instruments were revealed, all sharp and shiny and sterilized.

"Now I know this wont look good," Commented the leading doctor, "but please, bare with me." He took Than's unrestrained hand by the wrist and held it flat against a new, empty table. He parted her index finger far from the others, and took care her thumb wasn't even near. Than silently watched, while another doctor stood right near her head, observing as well. Dr. Brackt held out a free hand, a very sharp and large knife was placed into his palm, and he positioned the knife right above Than's lonely finger.

"What do you--?!" But it was too late. The doctor left no time for compliants, and suddenly the air was filled with the animalistic screams of a girl in utter pain. The doctor that stood right by her had jumped to cover her mouth with some cloth, but it hardly muffled her screams. Reeve and Vincent were shocked to silence. The immense blood that covered the table was appalling, and Dr. Brackt was holding out the missing finger in front of them. The girl could only wail on and thrash in her bed.

"Are you mental?!" Reeve yelled at the doctor, furious with the brutality he was just shown. "This isn't--"

"Calm down, ! I'm not done! Look! She didn't pass out! Any girl her age would have fainted from fear, but she's still conscious!"

"So all you wanted to display was her threshold for pain?" The inventor was still unamused.

"No." The doctor calmly replied. "Watch." He motioned for the two men to come closer, and a reluctant Reeve did with a push from Vincent. The doctor then placed the severed finger onto the table, approximately twelve inches from the now mutilated hand. Slowly, the finger began to twitch and be pulled to the bloody hand, as if drawn like a magnet to it. Reeve's breath caught in his throat as he staggered backwards into Vincent. Even the silent man's own crimson eyes widened with fear.

"We stumbled onto this by accident." explained. "The young one," he jabbed a thumb in the direction of the man trying to keep Than silent, who finally stopped screaming, "nearly severed another of her fingers off just the other night. It's healed now." He pointed to the girl's pinky finger that was on the bleeding hand. It was perfectly fine and looked well attached, apart from a small, light scar where the cut had been.

"If you'd just wait a bit," the doctor commented again, taking the bleeding hand and joining the index finger to it, "she'll heal very rapidly." Dr. Brackt was then given a needle with stitching wire, and he began to reconnect Than's finger to its rightful place. Once done, he wrapped the base of the finger with bandages a few times, a little blood trickling through, and held her hand up for examination. With the needle he was using, he lightly poked the end of the freshly attached finger. It twitched.

"Did you see? Her nerves have almost immediately started to reattach themselves. No one's nerves do that. And look! Hardly any blood pouring out of her. That means her blood vessels have been connected as well." Dr. Brackt gently returned Than's hand to her, placing it atop her belly. He gravely turned back towards Reeve, stepping closer to him, lowering his voice so he could be heard aloud.

"Whatever we are treating is not human. And you've known this from the start otherwise we wouldn't be investigating her like this. I respectfully request that you inform me what we are dealing with." Reeve had to find his voice (and his composure) to reply back in a civil manner.

"I regret to inform you that such knowledge is none of your business. It isn't your place to question, but to find answers. Besides, you no longer have to worry about this case anymore, because I'm discharging all of you from your services here. Thank you very much, Dr. Brackt." With that said, Reeve bowed his head to the gentlemen in the room and held his arm out towards the door.

"Thank you very much for your hard work, gentlemen, but you are now free from your duties here in this lab." The doctors all looked at one another with a queer expression. Were they all just fired?! The look on their employer's face was gravely serious, and now that they looked to the door, Mr. Valentine was slightly holding the door ajar for them. Without much else to do, they all began to slowly exit the room one by one. Each bowing their head with respect to Mr. Tuesti, and he bowing in return. Dr. Brackt was the last to leave, even standing in the doorway and looking back at Reeve one last time, before finally departing.

Vincent let the door fall closed on its own after Mr. Brackt, and made his way over to his firend's side, who had took a spot standing over Than's bed. He let the silence settle a little bit, and watched the girl finally peacefully sleep. Those with no energy need their rest.

"Do you think you made a good decision?" Reeve gave a sigh, kept silent, and began to slowly head for the exit, Vincent loyal the follow.

"Firing a couple of intelligent doctors for their unorthodox and brutal practices? I thought it was a good idea."

* * *

_Some more thanks to warandchaoshorla, Thunderstorm101, and dizzygirl55 for showing an interest. Every little bit makes an aurthor happy._

_-halfbreedfox_


	5. Strike One

**Fallen to the Earth**

Chapter 5: Strike One

Morning came. It had been ten days now since the second Jenova was found, the morning following the day that Reeve had fired a few odd doctors. If Vincent had to guess, Reeve was already in his office, trying to begin his morning with a warm cup of coffee. The sun's rays softly penetrated the glass windows and gave warmth to the clerks and workers around. It seemed Vincent's less-than-cheerful appearance didn't affect them at all, since they greeted him good morning as usual when they passed by. One woman had offered to get him a cup of coffee, but the warrior respectfully declined; in his wake, the secretary blushed madly and went off to do whatever she was previously occupied with. Yes, perhaps Vincent was spending too much time in the WRO headquarters.

As he boarded an empty elevator and was skimming the many floors for the right one, he came across the medical floor- the one housing the new global threat. Vincent replayed last night's events in his mind, and remembered that the girl's show hand had not been restrained when they left. How careless of them to forget! But with the high emotions that night, it was obvious why such a small detailed was overlooked. 'And perhaps to allow quicker healing for her hand,' he reasoned, 'Besides, she is too weak right now to escape.' Vincent could feel the lack of life in her, as was reinforced from her lack of viciousness.

Just in case he was wrong though, Vincent pressed the button to the medical floor of WRO. If nothing else, it would settle his mind.

Once the doors retreated, the floor proved to be quite silent. Very few people were quarantined to this floor, as no major battle was being fought; the rogue even doubted that anyone else but the threat was residing on this floor. He approached the main desk to find the guard asleep with his head on the desk, and no official medical staff had checked in quite yet. Vincent ignored the sleeping mass and walked down the hall to Than's special room.

Upon opening the door, he was a little surprised to find Than not in her bed, but upon the floor. She was a jumbled mess of limbs just laying on the cool tile. So she escaped her restraints; just as Vincent had assumed, was too weak to actually escape. He smirked a little to himself as he slowly approached her. Than was laying on her side, half curled, as if sleeping, her chest barely moving to breathe. The inside of her elbow was bleeding slightly from yanking out the IV. 'She must have tried to escape within the past hour or two,' Vincent managed to deduce.

Deciding that she was no serious threat, the marksman cautiously bent down behind Than to pick her up. His hand slowly snaked its way under her legs while his claws maneuvered to hold up her back; she even felt weak in his arms. Just as he was beginning to stand, Than's once limp arms shot up at him with great speed and took a firm hold on either side of his face. Vincent quickly began to feel the effects of her power- a draining sensation, all of his energy and life leaving his body, as if his blood was being poured out of one single, deep wound. It was quick, and soon Vincent didn't have the strength to hold her. He tried to drop her in hopes she'd let go, but she held on, and her weight crashed them both to the ground. He was so close; his fingers brushed against Death Penalty, but he lacked the strength to aim.

All he could do was stare at Than as she stared back at him. Her light eyes were wide and her breathing was heavy, just like his. He wasn't really looking at her though; instead, his life seemed to play out in his mind's eye. He was reliving his days as a Turk, his adventures saving the Planet. He recalled many battles and meeting so many people. He remembered meeting everyone of the Tsviets and being awoke by Verdot, disturbed briefly by a dark, spiky haired man, and then finally by Cloud. He remembered waking up and first finding out what Hojo had done to him. He remembered fighting Sephiroth and discussing his future before he was even born. And of course, his thoughts were dominated by Lucrecia. Her face appeared so many times and it was finally the last thing he saw before everything went dark and quiet.

-+-+-+-

Than waited a little while before letting go of Vincent, making sure he was completely drained of all energy and life. Slowly she stood up and stretched, reveling in her new strength. She looked down at her hands and saw her right covered with a black glove and her arm covered in dark leather, and her left wrapped up within a golden claw. She smiled, examining herself some more. Her feet were encased in pointy shoes, the dark, tattered crimson cape swirled around her; and a high collar hid the lower half of her face. Her transformation was a success.

She gazed upon the original laying unconscious on the floor. She knew she hadn't killed him. His memories and thoughts confessed his immortal life, and a simple act such as her life draining wouldn't kill him. She could even see him breathing still.

"You have such a sad life," She mused to herself, replaying the scenes over in her head. He voice was the same as his, deep and heavy. She stooped down on one knee to his side, pushing back his collar with her claws to see his whole face. "But an amazing gift." She brushed a few stray strands of raven hair away. "The Planet wont let me infect you. All those experiments protect you from me and from Jenova. Have a nice nap." Noticing the gun at his thigh, Than took a quick interest in it. She wasn't able to copy that; she wasn't experienced enough. So she stripped the gunslinger of his holster and weapon, securing it to her own right thigh. Than quickly got up and left the sleeping Vincent where he lay, heading for the exit of her prison. If life worked out in her favor, she would be long gone from there.

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It wasn't even an hour later when the first nurse arrived to start her shift. She scolded the night guard for sleeping while on duty, and went to perform her first duties- making sure the girl was still in her bed. Very few nurses were allowed to take care for the feisty little thing. She she peeked through the door, she nearly jumped out of her skin to find a large mass of red and black laying on the floor. She yelled down the hall for the guard to get help and call the doctors to arrive immediately.

She rushed into the room and tried to rouse the man from his sleep. "Mr. Valentine! Mr. Valentine!" She called his name but she was met with little action. She checked his pulse and felt his forehead; everything seemed fine with him. It was as if he was suddenly struck into a coma.

It wasn't long before a the whole room was full of people, and the doctor who opened a vial of smelling salts rest under his nose was the first to get a response out of Vincent. He inhaled deeply, coughed, and tried to fight his way out of everyone's arms, trying to communicate that their patient had escaped.

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Reeve's office door opened slowly and without a sound, revealing Vincent to be his visitor for the morning.

"Good morning, Vincent," He replied in a nonchalant fashion, hardly looking away from his computer.

"Morning," was his friend's only reply, as usual. He slightly pushed the door behind him, but didn't give enough force to close it properly. Reeve stared at his comrade for a moment and watched as he took his normal spot looking out the window, standing very still and very quietly.

"I hope that you had a good night's rest. I'm afraid that mine wasn't so well." He tried to strike up a conversation, turning his attention to a drawer with some papers in it, shuffling them around before returning back to his work. He began reading and correcting some paperwork, keeping one hand in his lap. "Had a nightmare about being cut open alive." Reeve gave a chuckle. "I think I'm getting too close to Than's case."

"Hm," was Vincent's only reply. Reeve glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, he was still standing and gazing out the window. He turned his back to inspect his computer again, closing and opening some new files.

"Not talkative this morning, as usual." He typed in some new additions, trying to figure out what was on Vincent's mind. "Have you been to Lucrecia's Cave recently?" He heard the gunman's footsteps as they approached behind him, one slow click at a time.

Reeve quickly spun around in his chair and fired off two pistol shots at Vincent. The gunman had Death Penalty whipped out and was aimed at the inventor's head, but the shots hit him in his right shoulder and through his chest, causing him to howl in pain and drop Death Penalty. Vincent collapsed onto the ground, his screams still ringing in the room, as Reeve's office phone rang. He answered it.

"Mr. Tuesti!" A nurse franticly began, "We just found Mr. Valentine in Than's room, he's unresponsive, and Than's disappeared!"

"It's okay, ma'am," Her boss began, relaxing in his chair and looking over to where Than had replaced the impostor Vincent, bleeding all over his clean floor. "I've found her." He hung up, and stared down at the strange young thing on his floor; Reeve moved only to take the stolen weapon and set it on his desk, out of her reach. He would have been willing to help Than if she wasn't growling and scowling in his direction.

"I think I've kept you confined to one room long enough, don't you think?" The girl's only response was a hateful glare and the hissing noises she made, trying to ignore her crippling pain.

"Now don't be that way," He cooed at her, kneeling down over her from a safe distance, "Just because I shot you doesn't mean we can't be friends."


	6. Little Mind

**Fallen to the Planet**

Chapter 6: Little Mind

"I don't like it."

"But--"

"I don't like it!" Reeve just sighed. "When I get my nerves reattached--"

Reeve knew he had good aim, and he knew he had a pretty powerful gun, but he didn't think that he severed Than's nerves around her spinal cord. So the shot that hit her chest paralyzed her from the neck down. So the only thing she could do was... talk, unfortunately. Reeve just sat in his chair, watching the thing mumble to herself, while a WRO officer had taken a seat at the edge of his desk. He had arrived shortly after Reeve incapacitated his attacker.

"So you shot her, sir?" The officer asked, still a little confused even after being told what had happened.

"Yes." The man calmly replied. The officer just switched his gaze from Than, to his boss, and back to Than.

"And paralyzed her, sir..."

"Yes." The leader twirled Vincent's gun on his desk. There was a knock at Reeve's office door. "Come in," he replied in an absent-minded manner.

Vincent himself came through the door, with a doctor right at his heals. In his golden claws was a large, cream colored jacket with a lot of hooks and belts on it. The middle-aged man behind him was going on about how he should be resting and not storming around the building.

"It's nice to see you up Vincent!" Said man gave no reply and tossed the jacket to the WRO officer; he caught it easily and stared at it.

"Put her in it," the dark man commanded, "And you," he directed to the man sitting in his deck chair, still twirling the gun about, "you need to take things more seriously. You could have easily been dead." Vincent rested his hands on the desk, steadying himself. Than was mouthing off to the officer in the background, who was cautiously fitting it over her still arms.

"Vincent, I'm not stupid enough to let something like that," Reeve made a vague gesture to the loud girl, "fool me into believing that she's you. She had your personality all wrong (though she may fool the receptionists). Are you feeling all right?" His friend gave a noise of approval along with a nod of his head, though he didn't let go of the desk.

"He's still disoriented from whatever that girl did to him." The doctor commented. "He needs to lay--"

"He's just a little dizzy." Than butted in. "I can feel his energy from here. It's returning. Could you stop touching me?" The physician huffed in annoyance and made his way over to the girl (he didn't take well to being told wrong).

"Who are you to say he's fine? Move over; you're doing it wrong." He stooped next to the combatant expert and began to properly fit the jacket on her. The doctor asked why she wasn't moving and his partner replied with a simple "paralyzed." Reeve looked into Vincent's red eyes.

"If you're not feeling well..." he said in a low voice.

"I'm fine. I just don't want her to be able to touch people." Vincent straightened himself up, silent and tall. Reeve slid his gun across the desk and Vincent caught it. "My holster," he asked. His friend had forgotten about that, but the officer tossed it to its rightful owner, and the gunman caught it without a problem.

"See? His hand-eye coordination is perfect." Than was being buckled up from behind now, limping over in an odd fashion due to lack of control. Vincent only stared at her in a none too pleasing way.

"How did she learn our language so quickly?" Reeve asked, the idea finally dawning on him.

"From Mr. Valentine, sir." Than mocked the sultry tone of a stereo-typed secretary. She giggled to herself as one of her hairs were plucked from her head.

"Be sincere." The doctor commanded as he finished the last hook. He stood up, brushed himself off, and asked permission to leave. "Since Mr. Valentine doesn't believe he needs help, and I have some blood tests to run for you."

"Oh, you're the hematologist? Thank you so much for your help. Yes, please; you may go."

"Thank you sir." He gave a small bow and proceeded to leave the office, shutting the door behind him. Vincent watched him go, and then observed Than propped up against the wall, two little blood stains appearing on the jacket.

"You have good aim."

"Thank you."

"What are you going to do with her?" Reeve gave a sigh a mused it all in his head. Instead of an answer, more questions popped up in his head.

"What did she do to you, exactly?" The officer felt that this was something he shouldn't be apart of. The tones were becoming personal, and he wasn't exactly a close friend. He stood up, gave one last look at the girl, and presented himself to his commander.

"Do you need any further assistance from me, sir?" Reeve had almost forgotten that the boy was still here, but he dismissed him all the same, giving him his thanks. The soldier bowed and made his exit. So now the room was just left to the three. A little silence fell over them before Than opened up her mouth.

"You were wondering how I crippled your friend, weren't you, Mr. Tuesti?" The two men directed their gaze at her, still a little unused to having the once screaming threat utter coherent sentences at them. Reeve replied with an affirmative, a little taken back that she knew his name.

"She essentially emptied my body of all its energy."

"Said beautifully, sir." Than praised, smiling a bit to herself. Reeve then question as to how she did it. "I touch the host. It's vital that it's skin to skin contact though; that's why I grabbed your face, Mr. Valentine."

"Could you elaborate exactly what you do, Than?" The inventor was making sure he sounded nice, to appeal to the girl and have his questions answered. The creature rolled her head in an odd way, her eyes focused on the man talking to her.

"I infect and copy other organisms. I steal life from my hosts through touch so I can invade society and infect more people without being detected. Is that plain enough?" All was sounding very familiar. Reeve looked towards Vincent out of the corner of his eye, and noticed he was doing the same thing. He next inquired about her knowledge and relationship about Jenova.

"She is powerful. Grand! She wouldn't know about me though," The girl's voice dropped slightly at this point, "I've done nothing to be recognized. Still too young to the universe."

"Wait, wait; there are others?" Reeve leaned forward in his chair, his brown eyes widening at such a thought.

"Yes." Than replied, giving the man a queer look, "Just like Jenova and I."

"How many of you are there?" The girl gave a light twitch of her shoulders, which was supposed to mimic a shrug, the men guessed. Her health was progressing, at the very least.

"A few, a lot. We don't usually run into each other. We are all connected with our minds; a knowledge that we are not alone, each a part of one another." She spoke like a seer almost, her explanations poor and vague.

"Does this mean you communicate with each other telepathically?"

"No. I have never talked with another. I only know about Jenova because the universe speaks about her."

Now things were getting confusing, and Reeve tried to ask for her to be more specific and clear about her words. Than was amused by how nice the man was being to her, so she complied and answered most of his questions.

"No; it is a feeling I have that others are out there. I know I'm not alone. It's the universe that speaks to me, speaks to us all. It confirms the destruction and is proof of others. I am sure if I were to speak with my brethren, they would only want to kill me." This was becoming a confusing mess. The girl could sense others like her, but can't communicate with them; instead she can communicate with the universe. Why have such an odd and complicated link? Wouldn't it be easier if she could come in contact with her own kind? Why do they not travel and kill together? None of these questions were being answered; not because Than was being difficult to deal with, but because she didn't know the answers.

The inventor could only sit back in his chair and observe the creature. Was she really so simple? Kill, destroy, and repeat? Technically speaking, she is a virus, and that is what viruses do. If that was the case, she and Jenova are the most sophisticated killing machines to ever roam among the stars. Vincent took his try at inquiring the girl.

"So how do you know Jenova?" Than cocked her head at an odd angle again, kindly replying.

"I don't. Her cells call to me. The universe lead me to her."

"What do you mean?" He calmly replied.

"I'm going to help her destroy this planet." A wicked grin began to play on the creature's lips.

"Jenova is not a threat." The creature gave a chuckle.

"You can not kill a virus." Her smile grew larger. "We always find a way to survive. Hosts, mutations, Geostigma, Sephiroth. Ah; he was a product of your specie's meddling. The perfect weapon for Jenova to use." But Than's smile slowly faded as she turned her attention to the man in the cape. "But the same man who created him, created you. The perfect warrior for the Planet, along with all of her other monsters and powers she can use to protect herself." She arched her back as if to stretch, her trapped arms fidgeting in the sleeves. She smiled. "I can almost feel my legs now."

Reeve had leaned over his desk a little, towards Vincent and whispered his thoughts to him while the girl was preoccupied with herself. "She's reminds me of Kadaj the more she talks." His friend nodded his head in agreement.

"Young and impulsive."

"Like a child?" Red eyes relayed a confusing look at Reeve before giving his answer.

"Children don't kill." Than was too busy trying to free her arms, grunting, and finally falling to the ground.

"Prime killer behavior."

"You can't change what she is."

"But viruses can mutate." The commissioner stood up and made his way towards Than. Vincent could only sigh. He knew what Reeve was trying to do, but it was too hopeful. Change and use the virus for the Planet's defense- he had talked about it before. She had a mind; it just needed to be used and manipulated. Reeve believed that was the key to turning her to their side. What better way to fight off an immortal nightmare, but with another immortal nightmare? Reeve grabbed the front of Than's jacket with both hands and hoisted her up on her feet.

"If you can be calm and not attack anybody, I can unfasten your arms for you." The girl gave a queer look at the man, her eyes focusing on his.

"Why do you want to do that?" She was highly suspicious.

"I just want to make you more... comfortable. The sleeves are sewn shut, so you wont be killing anyone soon." She raised a white eyebrow and gave him the most odd face he'd ever seen.

"Fine. Do what you want, but I'll eventually kill you, Mr. Tuesti. You're just make it easier for me." Reeve chuckled to himself as he let her go, but she sank and hit the floor immediately with a harsh thud. She whined over her sore knees and rump.

"I still don't have control over my legs yet!"


	7. A Gift

**Fallen to the Planet**

Chapter 7: A Gift

Than was discharged from the care of the WRO clinic. Reeve saw no reason to keep her there longer, as all tests and her own confessions proved what she was; the only real task to complete was to understand her strange biology. Why did her blood cells not die when denied oxygen? Such things had to be researched.

The man also kept his promise and freed her arms. She could swing them around at will but couldn't grab people anymore, which in turn sucked out all the vigor she once had. The girl acted quite normal and calm with her deadly threat taken away. As she put it: "there is no need to be energetic if I can't kill anyone."

The same day Than was given her arms back, Reeve divulged his idea to her; she scoffed at those as well. "Convert me? That is your big goal?" She laughed just like a mature woman does when she has accomplished something evil, "Mr. Tuesti, I am very happy to say that such a thing will never happen. My goal is clear; I will kill everyone on this planet and become powerful. The idea of trying to recruit me to your side is illogical." The inventor just smiled at her, for she was a simple thing, and let it go. Being open was the first step towards the goal.

It wasn't until Reeve and Vincent were escorting the creature down to the lower floors that she realized what she looked like. They had casually passed by a mirror in the hallway, placed there merely to add some phantom of asceticism when her own reflection caught her eye. She stopped walking immediately, causing the man she incapacitated earlier to bump into her. He was about to question her in a rather cold manner when he caught her gazing intently at herself.

"It's a mirror."

"I know that, Mr. Valentine." Hearing the two quietly bicker made Reeve stop his leading to see Than being absorbed by the reflective surface.

The girl cocked her head to one side, watching the copy mimic her. Then she slowly raised a hand to her face, touching her cheek. She got as close as she could to the mirror, staring at her sleeve and the movements she made in it. She reached up and patted at her short, curly snow hair. Cut much like a boys, she looked quite androgynous given her young face. Her skin was pale, but her blood made it pink in some spots. She stared at her inhuman light, lilac eyes.

"Have you never looked at yourself in the mirror?"

"I did when I copied people, and I did when I came up to kill you," she said it too casually, "but I had no reason to check myself otherwise."

"Come," Vincent commanded, giving the thing a little a push behind her back, "Vanity is a sin."

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For the next few days, Vincent didn't come by the WRO, if at all. He had little interest in the Jenova newborn, and wasn't going to spend his time around her. After all, nearly everyone's pain on this planet was the result of what her kind had done to them. His only interest was to make sure Reeve wasn't under any paranormal influence of Than's.

Which was what prompted him to visit the WRO today.

"Ah! My friend!" The inventor called out to the brooding man, quickening his step down the hall. "It's been a while since you've come by, Vincent." He was all smiles on this particular day. He stood right before his friend, holding some black cloth in his right hand.

"Yes." Vincent's dark voice flowed out, "It has."

"You avoid this place because you're still angry about what Than did to you." The taller man was silent. "You don't need to be so bitter about it."

"What are you holding?" He changed the subject, vaguely gesturing to the man's hand with his own golden one, the metal softly clinking against one another. Reeve accepted the change in subject and graced his friend with an answer.

"They're gloves." He presented them to Vincent, their ebony surface gave a slight sheen in the light, and at the wrist of the gloves, they could be hooked closed for a snug fit by a silver clasp. "They are made from PVC, so it's durable and waterproof. They are for Than." Red eyes gave a curious look at the inventor.

"You want to free her?"

"No, no. It's so she isn't wrapped up in that silly straitjacket. These silver clasps right here," he pointed the out with his free hand, "are locks." Reeve pulled out a small, delicate key from the inside of his coat pocket, and demonstrated their unique locking ability. "It's basically a metal band sewn into the wrists of the gloves, that can be completed by this lock system. Specially tailored to fit to Than's hands, of course. Quite creative, don't you think?" The gunman briefly picked up one of the gloves, it weighed a little heavy in his hand, and quickly enough lost interest in it.

"I don't know why you want to give her so much freedom."

"It's a plan, you see." The important businessman began, pocketing the gloves and key. He extended his arm out in front of Vincent, in an attempt to heard him in their new direction, and lead the way to a new destination. The long haired man kept his ears open for this explanation, glancing at Reeve out of the corner of his eyes as they walked through the WRO headquarters.

"Than is just a young thing. She is mostly speaking and acting out of instinct. Out of her design. I don't think she is looking for a reason for her actions. She just knows she needs to kill. No motive outside of the primitive. But right now, she is inhibited. We are keeping her from her goal." They turned corners and passed by office workers and secretaries. They walked out the east entrance of HQ, under the afternoon sky and were en route to the military training grounds. "At this stage, she is forced to use her mind. Absorb and use knowledge. We are giving her this knowledge, Vincent. She is learning from us. Everything we do to her, affects her. The first day you left, I showed her the gym. She watched a match between two soldiers, and was able to mimic their moves during a physical examination hours later."

Reeve opened the doors himself to the large, indoor training arena. The ceiling was set high above, but there was only one ground floor. Its modern construction equipped it with more than enough weapons to learn combat with and machines to study the human body. There was hardly any separators between the stations, and the retractable steel roof was drawn back, allowing the glass ceiling overhead to provide ample natural light to brighten the facility. The gym was silent in an unnerving way with the exception of a lone match between a girl and a punching bag. The thick whacks and thumps dully resonating in the large area. Reeve smiled to himself as he watched his newest project practice by herself.

"Are you hoping she'll grow a heart here?" The immortal man asked.

"A person has to learn to love, don't they?" Vincent huffed out an angry breath and shifted to turn away, but Reeve grabbed him by his arm and pulled him back. "I'm sorry, Vincent. I won't offend any more. Just watch her, please?"

The gunman was becoming soft. If he was asked to stay against his will as little as ten years ago, he would have scoffed at the person and laid down in his coffin for the rest of eternity. But Vincent liked this man, so he stayed a bit longer. Reeve smiled, and gave a silent thanks to him, before stopping the match.

"Thank you, Than! Thank you! That'll be enough." The girl turned around to face the man, huffing out a few deep breaths from her workout. She followed him with her eyes as Reeve made his way to the small collection of scientists, who were huddled over a monitor, displaying the girl's physical power.

"She's not frightfully strong, but she has a good kick." One man in a white coat pointed out on the odd collection of lines and numbers that displayed her stats.

"No more powerful than anyone else we train here."

"She is actually weaker than the people we do take on."

"But you see how fast her reflexes are. That's impressive."

A lot of talk, but not interesting for Than to eavesdrop on. She knew her only gift was her life sucking ability, and apathetically looked about the training room. She cocked her head a bit when she noticed Vincent was standing around, staring at her. A unsettling little smile came to her face.

"Mr. Valentine," she mused to herself. She took slow steps towards the gunman and stopped about ten feet away from him. The red eye death glare he was giving her, told her she needn't be any closer. "I haven't seen you in a while, Mr. Valentine."

"Yes. You've driven away my friend with your antics from a few days ago. You remember?" Reeve had managed to sneak behind Than and lay a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at the man. "Come with me. You're done here." And with that said, he gave the girl a slight push forward, and lead her out of the building, the brooding man following a few steps behind.

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Nothing important was said until the three had reached Reeve's office, high in WRO headquarters. Than was getting some odd amusement from asking Vincent questions he would not answer. Reeve couldn't help but feel tense the whole trip. But he thought this was best done someplace private.

Vincent took the responsibility of closing Reeve's office door himself, being the last one to enter. The inventor gestured to the chair sitting opposite of his desk, "Sit over there please, Than." Without a sound, she did as she was told. The gunman kept a close eye on her as he made his way across the room, towards the window where he usually stood. Reeve had moved around his desk, and slid his chair around to where Than sat. He finally took a seat, trying his best to appear friendly and open.

"I think I can start to trust you." He began. That mocking smile reappeared on Than's lips.

"If you think so, Mr. Tuesti." She straightened up in her seat. Reeve reached into his inner coat pocket and withdrew the gloves that he showed his friend earlier. The girl tilted her head in confusion at them.

"I was thinking of giving you these." He laid them out on his desk for her to examine. "So you could be more self sufficient. Wouldn't you like some more freedom, away from watchful eyes?" The young monster furrowed her brows at him and frowned deeply, switching her gaze back and forth between her captor's earthy eyes and the onyx gloves before her. She didn't understand.

"Of course I can't let you go completely. You will still stay here, at WRO. And these gloves will keep you from killing." He tapped the silver clasps on them. "So what do you think?" The men observed as Than examined her hidden hands, covered by the tough canvas of the jacket sleeves, and looked back up at the gloves. Surely this offer was better. She regained her impish look and turned her lilac eyes to Reeve.

"I would be happy to have them, Mr. Tuesti." She smiled widely. The man smiled at her in turn.

"Good! Let me get you out of that thing then." He quickly stood up, and moved behind the girl. He looked over to Vincent from his spot, and noticed his eyes ruby eyes widen in disbelief, as if to say "have you lost your mind?"

But the man believed he knew what he was doing, and tried to silently say to his friend "calm down. I can handle her." Because for a few minutes, Than would be completely free from any bonds and was a serious threat for that short time span. The caped man couldn't help but ready himself to shoot, his hand just inches from his faithful gun.

Reeve tilted the girl's head forward a bit, to help with exposing the many straps and buckles behind her back. It didn't take him long at all the undo them all, and the jacket slacked with each bit undone. Than didn't struggle or fidget, but sat quietly and behaved. The man finally came back to his chair, and pulled off the heavy material from her body. His eyes didn't leave her as he carefully set the thing beside him, but the only thing she did was stare back at him. The smile never leaving her. She was now a threat.

"Thank you for being so cooperative, Than." Reeve grabbed one glove from the desk and slowly held out his other hand towards her. As if reading his mind, she gave her hand to him, her palm facing up, and resting her wrist in his larger hand. Just as the gentleman was about to slip the the thing over her hand, she flipped her hand over and grabbed his wrist.

Reeve could've sworn his heart jumped into his throat and stopped beating right then and there, but he felt fine excluding his anxiety, waiting for pain and death to come. But Than only leaned in a bit closer and talked into his ear in a low voice.

"See? I can control myself." She gave a tight squeeze on Reeve before letting go and flipping her hand back over again. "I don't always kill what I touch." She leaned back to how she was, and watched the man recompose himself. It took a while, but he managed to slip the first glove over her hand, even if it was a little shaky.

"Wouldn't you like to know a bit more about Mr. Valentine?" She whispered to Reeve as he was slipping the material over her fingers on her other hand."His past? His interests? I know he doesn't tell anyone much." The inventor gave her a hard stare, trying to figure out what she was trying to do. What would she know about Vincent's past?

"How would you know about such things?" Was Reeve's only question, pulling the glove snugly over Than's hand.

"When I took his life, I took his memories. It's what makes a good impersonator." Her lips curved in an evil manner. "Would you like to know what's under Mr. Valentine's claw?" Though the offer was tempting, Reeve was a secretive man himself. And he knew whatever Vincent wasn't telling, was something he would rather die with than speak of.

"If Vincent wants me to know, he will tell me." The man gave a sly grin back at the girl, locking one glove with the little silver key from his pocket. "I don't need to get it from a thief." He locked the second hand into it's new prison, and stood up. "How do you like them?"

Than gave a mild glare at her oppressor, but began focusing on her hands instead. She could watch them and flex them for the first time in days. Oh how she missed them. She could even touch them together and run her fingers up and down her arm. This was much better than that horrible jacket.

"I love them, Mr. Tuesti." She paused for a long time, awkwardly glancing up at the man who had just given her more freedom than she ever thought she would receive. "Thank you." She quietly replied.

Vincent was in awe. This killer had willingly let prey lock her in a new prison. No problems ensued, just a clean transition. He watched Reeve grab the girl by her arms and help her up on her feet. He even extended his hand to test her new ability to touch others. She shook it, slightly amused by this new ability. Reeve couldn't be right. That thing didn't do anything! Didn't struggle; didn't run; didn't attack. It was odd. Unnerving. Vincent still didn't quiet believe it.

Reeve had pointed over to his friend, and spoke something to Than. He smiled a bit, and she made her way across the room, and stood right in front of the dark figure. Her eyes were bright like a child's, but the man couldn't shake away his feeling of apprehension about her. She extended her hand to him.

"I would appreciate your hand, Mr. Valentine."

The man eyed the gloved palm reaching out to him. Behind her, he saw his friend try to urge him to reach out and be friendly to what could be their destroyer. Slowly, he extended his own right hand; oddly almost identical in color and material to hers, and lightly grasped it. Than followed his lead, and lightly clenched her own fingers around his. A small up and down of their wrists, and Vincent seized his hand back. He was really getting tired with the little devil's grin.

The leader of the WRO warmly grasped the girl's shoulders in an approving manner.

"Good, good. Now take Cait with you," he ushered a cat doll from behind him, dressed in gloves and boots, complete with red ascot, "and enjoy some time walking around. I'll come get you later." Than cocked her head at the thing. It stood as tall as to reach her waist, unsure about what to do with it.

"Gimme your hand, dear." The doll prompted, startling her, and it extended a cute, white hand. Than stared at it for a while, eyed Reeve for a second, and then finally took the cat's hand. Cait lead her out of the office, making small talk and asking her questions. The two men watched as the girl and the feline both exited the room, the girl looking more like a small child than the becoming lady murderer.

"Why did you give her Cait?" Vincent's voice was obviously communicating annoyance.

"The staff gets tired of babysitting her. And I can't constantly keep watch of her. That one is new, so it doesn't have any important data yet." Reeve began pushing his chair back to it's rightful place. "And keeping her around people is a threat. So even if she attacks Cait, it won't be a human life that is lost."

"Why are you doing this."

"I told you why." He flopped back into his seat. Vincent walked around the large desk, standing right in front of the president. "Weren't you paying attention? She behaved herself. She was friendly."

"So you will drop your guard."

"She didn't attack me."

"She knew I would shot her if she did. It was an act." The gunman was becoming a bit irritated. Reeve let out a sigh. He tapped his desk a few times before answering his friend.

"She grabbed me." He paused to watch the man's reaction. "Right before I put on her gloves, she grabbed me." Vincent cautiously took a seat, his maroon eyes seemed unblinking as he watched Reeve explain. "She says she can control her power. And she didn't harm me to show me that."

Why he waiting for the silent man to reply, he didn't know. But he went on.

"I think this is improvement."

…

"She's learning to like us."

"If that's what you think..." Vincent adverted his gaze, staring at nothing in particular but trying to find a reason for her actions. "... Then you might be right."

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_Many thanks to those who have stayed and joined to read on in this fanfiction. All faves and comments and watches are appreciated. Thank you!_

_-halfbreedfox_


	8. Mind Reading

**Fallen to the Planet**

Chapter 8: Mind Reading

What duties Vincent Valentine had to perform was beyond Reeve's understanding. The man hadn't been heard from since the little Jenova traded into her strait-jacket for some gloves a little over a week ago, let alone a glimpse of him in passing. Reeve tapped his pen in agitated thought about it. Was Vincent avoiding him all together? Did his decision really upset the gunman so much? The image of Vincent experiencing strong emotions was a hard one to fathom.

Reeve twirled about in his chair slowly, glimpsing out the window and the pleasant sky above and the green field below. Just in the distance, he could see the city of Kalm. What were the chances that Vincent was just in that city? Should he call and ask? Reeve decided against it. Vincent made it clear with Yuffie that he didn't want any unnecessary calls to just "chat." Reeve had nothing to bring the gunman to the WRO, and any other discussion could just anger him.

"Where has Mr. Valentine gone, Mr. Tuesti?" Reeve didn't even hear the girl open the door, but there she was, white hair and bright lilac eyes, staring at him from the entrance. A bipedal, black and white cat just catching up and grabbing a hold of her sleeve.

"Aye told ya to knock before entering, lassie! Tha's just bad manners ta not to." Cait gave her a light scolding, drawing her gaze to his feline face and waving a disapproving finger at her.

"Sorry Mr. Cait." She apologized, and made her way into Reeve's office. She walked all the way up to his desk and stood there, her eyes focused on the older man seated before her.

"Why do you care where Mr. Valentine goes, Than?"

"You care where his is, don't you, Mr. Tuesti?"

"Is that the only reason why you care? Because I care?"

Than had taken a sudden interest in her black gloves; wiggling her fingers and pulling at the fabric that clung so closely to her hands, like a second skin.

"Let me see your gloves, Than." Reeve held out his own hands to receive hers, and she slowly did so. He pulled her forward across his desk, so as to better inspect them. The first moment when he let her out of his sight, Than had run off to make chaos (like she was born to do). An hour or so later, his Cait doll had come back to his office, bald patches of fur missing and his ascot in tatters, heaving and telling that he had wrestled with the girl over a pair of scissors she was using to cut the gloves off. Luckily, Vincent had left the WRO by time that incident had happened and passed, so the gloomy man was still under the impression that the little virus was adapting to like the people of this planet.

Luckily, Than also didn't repeat the stunt since then. Her Cait watch-cat was also individualized and could be told apart from the rest since the struggle; he had a big hunk of his right ear missing.

But as Reeve looked over her gloves, he didn't find anything wrong with them. No holes or distinct scratches. He returned her hands back to her. The Commissioner of the WRO made a silent suggestion for the girl to sit, and she did so, the Cait doll taking a seat on the chair next to her. He was a good babysitter.

"So why do you care about what Vincent is up to?" Than had tilted her head in thought.

"He is my first victim on this planet." She was silent for a moment, eyes slightly downcast to remember the event. "I always kill my victims. And my first on a new planet is much like a teacher. I know nothing about how to destroy them until I learn about them." She went silent again. "The customs and language and weaknesses are all revealed thru that one being. And their own memories and joys and life become known to me. I take their life, to become them. A first step in taking over the host planet.

Vincent was my teacher for this planet. I was supposed to become him."

Reeve folded his hands on his desk, laying his head on them while he thought of Than's answer. Her eyes were now staring right into his own again, waiting for his response. She had developed an intense gaze.

So was Than feeling anger over her failure? Did she wish to hunt the gunman down and finish her job? Or was she feeling attached to the only being in the universe who had taught her anything and was still living? Her tone was hard to tell from. How she described her relationship with Vincent was respectful, at the very least.

"I think the same way about you, Mr. Tuesti." Reeve flinched a bit from the sudden input by the girl. "I was supposed to kill you too. But you live, like Mr. Valentine." For a few seconds, the two just watched each other from across the desk in silence. "You are teaching me too; about this planet, about these people." The Commissioner wasn't sure how to respond; did she realize that she was being manipulated? Or was she just acknowledging the fact that she was learning while being contained? Did she approve of this method? Does it anger her? Is she admitting that she is growing to accept the people on this planet? Or is she oblivious?

Perhaps a change in subject is needed.

Reeve straightened up in his chair and cleared his throat. "Your goal is to destroy this plant and these people, isn't it?"

"Yes, Mr. Tuesti." The answer was firm.

"Then, if you don't mind me asking, why are you so formal? So polite? Aren't we lower level beings that deserve to die?" The sirs and the misters were a sign of respect, which didn't fit a killer's feelings about its sufferers.

"But you are a very worthy opponent!" Reeve raised an eyebrow. She wasn't a sore loser, apparently. "You and your people deserve some respect to silence Jenova for song long and so consistently. You prove to be strong defenders, and as such, you have earned a title and immense respect from me, in the very least. I show this, by how I address you. A name or a title is very important to me and others like me." Reeve was interested in her personal customs, nodding to show that he understood. Then a thought occurred to him.

"What is your name?" Than tilted her head and furrowed her brow in confusion.

"You have given me my name, ."

"Did you have one before you came to this planet?"

"No! I have done nothing to deserve a name, ." Than's bright eyes showed her disapproval, along with her pouting mouth. In at least one way, the girl was just like Vincent; they both are very grave.

Suddenly bored with sitting around, the little Jenova stood up and made her way over to Reeve's office windows. She gazed outside at the pleasant scene, of the city in the far distance, of the slow rolling clouds in the sky. She seemed unimpressed with what the natural world had to offer. The inventor figured it was because she had a drive to destroy it, and yet she couldn't; a cruel trick of hanging food just out of a starving man's reaches. He heard her sigh.

"Do you think Mr. Valentine is just sitting around in Lucretcia's Cave? A lot of his memories are about her, Mr. Tuesti." Reeve propped his arm on his desk, supporting his head on it. He supposed that at least half of Vincent's time was spent inside that cavern.

"I suppose he could be there, yes." It was then that an odd realization passed through Reeve's mind; that him and Than were thinking about the same thing. The image of the warrior sitting down in front of a woman trapped in crystal, lost to the world as he contemplated his own thoughts and memories of the past. The more the Commissioner dwelt on the image, the more he became depressed over his friend. The gunman had a hard time letting go.

But did Than see it that way? Reeve supposed not; she doesn't understand what he experienced. ...What anyone has experienced...

The inventor was half tempted to ask what the small killer was thinking, but decided against it. To ask what she was feeling seemed simply stupid.

Having Than around made Reeve feel miserable. He motioned for the Cait cat to go get her, and being intuitive to his creator's subtle hints, knew what he was asked to do. He jumped down from the seat he was resting on, and took a few steps to stand next to the white haired girl. Cait grabbed a hold on her sleeve, and she looked down at him. Perhaps that look was apathy in her eyes, or perhaps it was of a more somber nature.

"Come on dear, Reeve's got things ta do." The cat smiled up at her. Than took a quick glance up at the man in his chair, and let the cat guide her out. She didn't smile back, or nod her head in agreement, but she knew she had no way of successfully staying if she wanted to. Without looking back, she said her piece.

"Good bye, ." The heavy door slammed shut behind girl and cat, and Reeve was left alone with his thoughts. Time stretched out in the silence as the dark haired man decided on what to do. He pushed some papers half-heartedly around, before deciding to take out his cell phone and call a number at the lower end of his contact list.

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_Sorry that this is a short and uneventful chapter, fellas. Trying to get back into the swing of things. I thought that this was a good start into understanding the type of creature Than is, so perhaps it isn't a total waste? Reviews, comments, favs are all appreciated! Thank you for reading. :)_

_-halfbreedfox_


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